Serving-table.



L. D. PLATT.

SERVING TABLE. 2 APPLICATION FILED.IUL Y15.I916.

1,252,020; Patented Jan. 1,1918.

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SERVING TABLE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, l9l6.

Patented. Jan. 1,1918. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2- a M w W .[22 2/277 far.

L. D. PLATT.

SERVING TABLE. APPLIQATION FILED JULY 15, 1916.

Patented Jan. 1,1918.

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APPLICATION HLED JULY I5. 1916.

Patented Jan. 1,1918.

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I U. PLATT.

SERVING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1916.

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SERVING TABLE.

APPLICATION man JULY 15.1916.

Patented Jan. 1,1918.

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LEON D. PLATT, or CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SERVING-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application filed July 15, 1916. Serial No. 109,521.

. To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEON D. PLATT, citizenof the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Serving-Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to serving tables for lunch rooms or restaurants. The object of the invention is to provide an improved table which economiZes space; which reduces the number of employees; which saves time in the service of patrons; which avoids carrying the food and dishes through the room and reduces the noise; which enables the food to be served to the patron at his own table and to his own particular placeby semiautomatic mechanism which attracts his attention and is likely to draw trade; and

finally to generally improve lunch room service and reduce the cost for labor and upkeep.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings, which represent one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, showing a portion of a building equipped with my improved serving table; Fig. 2 is a plan view partly broken out to exposethe operating parts; Fig. 3 is a sectional'plan view on the line 3-3 Fig. 1, and also showing diagrammatically the lock operating cables; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line 4-4: Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the tray in position to be withdrawn; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 Fig. 6, showing one of the locking bolts; Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view on the line 6-6 Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a broken out plan view of one corner of the table; Fig. 8 is an elevation showing the mechanism for operating the sliding trays; Fig. 9' is an end view from the left on a larger scale, of the lower portion-of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a detail section, on a large scale, of the upper portion thereof; Figs. 11 and 12 are detail sectional elevations showing different positions of the well cover; Fig. 13 is a broken out sectional elevation of the order tube; Fig. 14 is a sectional view from the left of the upper portion thereof; and Fig. 15 is a plan view of one corner of the carrier and frame, and showing the carrier lifting cable and pulley.

Referring to the drawings 1 indicates the floor of the serving room containing the tables, one of which is indicated at 2, said tables being spaced in rowswith chairs between but closer together than is usual due to the 'absence'of waiters and the fact that it is not necessary to move around or near I the tables while serving patrons. Below the floor 1 is the serving room or kitchen 3, which may be in the basement of the building, and in which are the stoves and hot tables, pans and other devices (not shown) containing the food, and which will be located directly under the aisles between the tables on the floor above so as to be convenient for serving said tables as hereinafter described. This arrangement economizes space and enables an increased number of patrons to be handled in a given ground area.

' The tables themselves may be of any suitable ornamental design and construction adapted to the mechanism to bedescribed.

As shown each table is designed to serve four patrons, one at each side, although by suitable arrangement of the mechanism more or less can be accommodated. Each table has a flat top provided with four stationary level corner portions 4, one for each patron, giving him extra room for his dishes and also designed to hold vessels containing the condiments, such as salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, etc., and trays containing knives, forks, napkins, etc., if desired. At each side of the table midway between the corner portions, is a serving station 5, and in the center a rectangular open well or shaft 6 adjacent all four serving stations and through which the food is delivered from the kitchen to the table and the dishes removed. This well is inclosed beneath the table, and also so far as desirable in the kitchen, by asheet metal or other form of jacket 7 and at its four corners is provided with vertical angle iron frame members 8 which form the supports for the table top. Two opposite angles are also provided with runways 9 (Fig. 7 forming tracks or guides for the shoes 10 of a dumb waiter or carrier 11 movable vertically in said well and operated either by hand or power, as desired. As shown, said carrier is suspended from cables or chains 12 (Fig. 15) fastened to its lower portion at corners between the shoes 10 and passing over pulleys 13 at the upper ends of the adjacent angles 8 and thence downwardly outside of said angles and over small pulleys 13 to a drum lt on a diagonal cross shaft 15 provided at its opposite ends with winding or operating handles or wheels 16, by turning which the carrier may be moved up or down in the well. Said carrier may be counterweighted if desired, but usually its own weight plus the load is sufficient to overcome friction and move it downwardly when released for such movement, as will appear. Carrier 11 comprises asuitable frame consisting, for example of four corner posts 17 carrying the shoes 10 referred to and also upper and lower supports, such as the horizontal shelves 18 for removable dish holding trays 19.

The carrier may be provided with a separate shelf (four in all) for each patron, but as shown only two shelves are provided for serving two patrons simultaneously. The loaded trays are properly positioned on their respective shelves and the carrier is then raised to a first position with its top shelf substantially level with the top of the table, as in Fig. 1, and the tray thereon is drawn off laterally to a serving station. The carrier is then raised to a second or upper position with its lower shelf level with the table top and the second tray drawn off to another serving station in like manner. To hold the carrier securely in its two positions it is provided with upper and lower strikes 20, at two or several corners, the strikes at each corner being in vertical alinement with each other and adapted to successively engage and push back the spring pressed looking or holding bolts 21 and assume positions above the same, as shown in Fig. 5, with the carrier therefore supported on said bolts in proper position relative to the table. Safety abutments 22 are located just below the lower strikes 20, as in Fi a, to prevent accidentally lifting the carrier too far. To release the carrier and allow it to move downward by gravity the bolts 21 are connected to cables or wires 23 passing over pulleys 24: (Fig. 3) and then down at the corners of the table to the lower level where they pass over pulleys to a winding shaft 26, to which the ends of said cables are fastened. Said shaft is located at or near the floor and is provided with one or more foot treadles 27 conveniently located so that the operator in the kitchen can release the carrier from the lockin bolts by pressing with his foot on a treadle 27.

The trays 19 may be made of any suitable material and in any desired form. Each tray along one edge is provided with an up wardly extending flange or ledge 28, which may be a fold of the metal or material of the tray, but in Figs. 2 and i-l, is shown as consisting of small sheet metal clips secured thereto. On its bottom face the tray is also provided with a stop device 29. As each serving tray 19 rises to a position level with the table top its hooks engage an opening, groove or channel 30 in the bottom of an operating slide 31, as shown in Fig. 4. There are four such slides in the table shown, one at each station,and as all of them are alike as to form and manner of operation the description of one will be suflicient, it being only necessary to state that the tray 19 on either shelf of the carrier may be made to engage either of two oppositely disposed slides to thereby go to either one of two 0pposite stations by merely turning its hooks to the proper side of the carrier when placing it thereon. Its position radially of the carrier is accurately determined by the stop which lies in a recess 32 of the carrier shelf and when pushed back to the end of the recess holds the tray in proper position for its flange 28 to enter the slide recess. Said stop also serves as a handle by which the operator in the lower room can pull the tray off from the carrier shelf onto the permanent shelf when the carrier is in the lower room. 1

Each slide 31 is a flexible heavy pad or sheet made for example of leather, rubber, water proof composition or the like, and the recess 30 may be formed in the leather or rubber or in. a wooden or metal strip 33 secured thereto. The side edges of the slide move in grooves or channels 34 so that its upper face is substantially flush with the table top. l/Vhen in the inactive normal position shown in Fig. 4 each slide serves as a cover for the opening in the table top at that station and conceals the operating mechanism from the incoming patron. The slide rests on four 811Cl1SS bands or belts 35 and is secured thereto. Said belts pass over drums or pulleys 37 connected at both ends by endless chains, 38, to move positively and in unison with each other, said chains being also connected at 36 to the slides 31 to move the same. Each belt slides along a longitudinal supporting plate or slat 39 to prevent the slide from sagging. Between the two center belts one of the plates 39 is provided with a slot 10 whose outer end serves as a stop for engagement by the stop 29 to limit movement of the slide and locate the retracted tray at the serving position with its rear edge fully withdrawn from the path of movement of the carrier.

Each slide is actuated in any suitable manner, as by a cord or cable 10 whose oppo site ends are secured at 40 to one of the chains 38, said cords passing over pulleys 41 and down at a corner of the table to the lower room where they pass around pulleys 42 and are secured to a sliding block 43 movable horizontally in a box like guide 41 and provided wi h a handle 1-5. There are four such guides and operating blocks, one for each station, and the operating devices for two adjacent stations are at the same corner of the table as in Fig. 3. An operator standing at one corner of the carrier guide frame can'therefore readily manipulate the two slide mechanisms adjacent to one corner of the table.

The carrier frame in the lower room is provided with four permanent shelves or supports 44* to hold the trays 19 while being filled. These supports may be solid shelves but are shown as pairs of angle members projecting outwardly from the frame. As shown in Fig. 1 two opposite permanent supports are at one level and the two other supports at a higher level, the difference in level being the same as that betwen the two shelves on the carrier. hen the carrier is in its lower position a tray can be pushed in from either of the two upper permanent supports upon the upper carrier shelf and from the lower permanent supports upon the lower carrier shelf. The guides 44 are located at the same levels as the supports 4 1 The well at the center of the table is normally closed by a flat sheet metal cover 46 which keeps out the kitchen smells and noise when the carrier is down. This cover has four depending legs at sliding vertically in small tubes 48 near the corners of the frame and on the outside of the angles 8. Two of said legs are of the form shown in Figs. 11 and 12, being provided with a cross slot to receive a quarter round latch 49 pivoted upon a pin 50. In the normal position, Fig. 11 when the carrier is down, said latches project inwardly through long vertical slots 51 in the tubes and angles 8. When the carrier is raised a portion of its frame such as the shoes 10, engage said.

latches (which are prevented from turning on their pivots by the continuous opposite tube well) and lift the cover. The shoes 10 are so located on the carrier as to begin to move the cover upwardly when the upper tray of the carrier is about six or eight inches below the cover, so that dishes on the upper tray will not strike the cover.

The cover rises until the latches 49 come opposite slots 53 in the back walls of the tubes, into which said latches turn, as shown in Fig. 12, allowing the shoes 10 to move upwardly beyond the latches to the upper position of the carrier and leaving the cover stationary supported by the latches resting on the lower edges of the slots 53 and held from turning by the shoes 10. When the carrier is moved down the latches turn outwardly by gravity from the slots 53 and move down upon and with the shoes 10.

At two opposite corners of the table are located order tubes 55 through which the patron sends his order to the kitchen. In each tube is a smallhollow holder 56 shown as a metal tube closed and weighted'at its lower end and shouldered at its upper end to engage a shoulder 57 formed for example of a ru-bbercasket, at the u-pperend of the tube 55 to prevent the holder from escaping.

In". its normal position shown in Fig. 14,. the holder is exposed above the table topand the patron writes his order on the slip 5.8, folds it and inserts it in the holder. Each holder is normally held in its upper position by spring pressed buttons or knobs 59 on the upper ends of levers 60 held together by a spring 61, and which can be. separated. by pressing down on the, button or head of a rod 61*,con-nected by toggle links 61 to the levers 60. This allows the holder to drop through the tube upon a spring pressed cushion 62 with the order therein lying just above a side opening 63 in the tube wall. The serving operator pulls down on the ring 64 to expose the order, withdraws said order, and suddenly releases the ring, which snaps or shoots the holder to its normal position in engagement with the knobs 59, ready to receive another order. By locating the opening 63 above the upper end of the order holder the operator is required to pull back the spring cushion and cannot neglect to snap the order holder to its upper posi-, tion.

The vertical operating cords or cables .and the order tubes at the corners of the table. are preferably inclosed and-concealed at least above the floor level in the serving room, by an ornamental sheet metal 65,.which' may be removable to give access to the parts for repair replacement. This casing may also extend below the floor level, as shown in Fig. 1, to protect the operating members. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 4, a tray or shallow pan 66 may be located ateach station of the table below the endless operating belts to receive any liquids, such as water or milk, which may chance to be spilled upon the, table.

Said pans may be removed from the side of the table for cleaning and their inner ends rest on troughs 67 each communicating with a small drain pipe 68 passing down through the corner portion of the frame to a sewer in the lower room.

1 The serving table described is used as folowsz- The patron coming to an unoccupied table finds the central-well cover down flush with thetable top and the four flexible slides in place over the serving station, so that the top surface of the table is practically a continuous uninterrupted plane. The patron writes his order on an order slip 58, a pad of which slips may be placed at each station of the table. Each order tube accommodates two serving stations, but the several pads may have identifying marks to distinguish to the operatorbelow the particular station of each pair from which the order comes. The patron inserts the order in the order holder and drops it to the kitchen. The operator removes the order and returns the order holder to initial position. The trays 19 are portable and interchangeable, and the operator may pick up one of said trays and move around to the various places where the food is kept and select articles ordered by the patron, or may place said tray upon the permanent supports 4% and particularly upon the supports at the side of the frame corresponding to the position of the service station from which the order comes, and carry the several articles of the order to the tray. He then checks up the articles with the order, writes the cost thereon and lays the order upon the tray to be finally delivered by the patron to the cashier.

The tray is placed upon the supports id with its flanges or hooks 28 toward the outside of the frame or nearest the operator, so as to later engage the groove or channel of the particular operating slide 31 of the ordering station. The tray is pushed in upon one of the shelves of the tray carrier, and if two patrons are to be served trays are simultaneously placed upon both of said shelves. Shaft 15 is then rotated to raise the carrier and the trays thereon to the first position, during which movement it lifts the cover from the central well. The operator knows when the first position of the carrier is reached by the clicking of the strikes 20 past their stop bolts. He then pulls back the proper slide block producing simultaneous and similar movement of the operating slide 31 at that station, which withdraws the upper tray from its position on the carrier to a position directly in front of the patron, who can use the dishes in their position upon the tray or lift one or more of the articles to position on his particular fixed corner portion of the table. When the upper tray has been withdrawn the operator again operates the shaft 15 to raise the carrier to its second position, in which its up per shelf is closely adjacent to the cover, which hasremained stationary. He then pulls back the other slide block 43 to withdraw the lower tray to position in front of the patron on the adjacent side of the table. By then pulling back the latching bolts 21 the carrier descends to its lower position by gravity, the well cover moving downwardly with the carrier until it closes the well opening. The same operator, or a companion operator at the opposite corner of the table, can then serve the other patrons at the other two stations of the table.

When a patron or patrons have finished and left the table any dishes which they may have taken off from the trays are replaced by an attendant who passes up and down the aisles for this purpose, but who can attend to a very large number of tables simultaneously because he is not required to carry the dishes away, and does the work after the patrons leave. Said attendant can also signal the operator below in any suitable manner to direct him to take back the used tray of dishes, which he does by raising the carrier to the proper position and then moving the proper slide block 43 to its original position, thereby pushing the tray back upon the carrier, and then allowing the carrier to descend to the lower room.

The serving table described is of comparatively simple form and very materially reduces the amount of floor space for each patron served. It also enables patrons to be served in a shorter time, due to the fact that the food articles are very close to the patron at their seats, and do not have to be carried from kitchens at the rear of the building. It also reduces the total number of operators or waiters and enables the patron to be served in a seat at a table at low cost, and will attract patrons, not only by their interest in the mechanism itself, but also those patrons who prefer to eat their lunch or meal at a table rather than from the arm of a chair.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a table located at one level, of means for transferring a lunch from another level to said table and delivering it to any one of several positions thereon.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a table having a plurality of serving stations, of means for conducting articles from another level to the level of said table and delivering said articleosl selectively to different stations of said ta e.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a table located at one level and having a plurality of serving stations spaced around its center, of means for conveying a lunch from another level along the axis of said table to its center and delivering it selectively to any one of the stations thereof.

4. In a device of the character described, in combination with a table having several serving stations at its sides, of means for conveying articles along the vertical axis of said table to its center and delivering said articles to one of said stations.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a table having a plurality of serving stations at its sides, of manually operable means at each of said stations for withdrawing an article from the center of said table to said station.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination a table having a central open well, means for delivering articles to said table through said well, and means on said table for moving said articles from the center toward the sides of said table.

7. In a device of the character described, in combination, a table having a central open well, a carrier movable vertically in said well for delivering articles to said table, and means on said table for moving said articles from the center toward the sides of said table.

8. In a device of the character described, in combination, a table having a central open well, a carrier movable vertically in said well for receiving articles from said table, and means on said table for moving articles from the sides of said table toward said carrier when located at the center of said table.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination, a table communicating with a central open well and having a plurality of servin stations at its sides, and means for transferring articles through said well to said table and delivering the same selectively to any one of said stations.

10. In a device of the character described, in combination, a table communicating with a central open well, a carrier movable vertically in said well for transferring articles to said table, and several means located at the, sides of said table and arranged to withdraw articles from said carrier to positions at the sides of said table.

11. In combination, a table having a central open well, a carrier movable vertically in said well for delivering articles thereto, and means for distributing said articles on the table.

12. In combination, a table having a central open well, and a carrier movable vertically in said well for delivering articles thereto, said carrier having a plurality of portions arranged to support a plurality of articles at different levels thereon.

13. In combination, a table having a cen tral open well, a carrier movable vertically in said well for delivering articles thereto, said carrier being arranged to support a plurality of articles at different levels thereon, and means for supporting said carrier at different levels relative to the top of said table.

14. In combination, a table having a central open well, an elevator movable vertically in said Well for delivering articles to said table, means for locking said elevator in position at the table top, means on said table for withdrawing articles from said elevator, and means for releasing the locking means to allow said elevator to descend.

15. In combination, a table having com- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the moving said carrier vertically, means for holding said carrier in said well with any of its supports in the plane of the table top, and means for releasing said holding means to allow the carrier to descend.

17. In combination, a table located at one level, a vertically movable carrier for transferring articles to said table from another level, and means on the table and operable from said other level for withdrawingarticles from said carrier to the table.

18. In combination, a table having a plurality of serving stations, a carrier movable vertically for transferring articles from another level to said table, and several separate means on said table for withdrawing articles from said carrier to said table.

19. In combination, a table having a plurality of serving stations, a carrier movable vertically for transferring articles from another level to said table, several separate means on said table for withdrawing articles from said carrier to said table, and means operable from said other level for actuating any one of said withdrawing means.

20. In a construction of the character described, the combination of a table having a central open Well, a vertically movable cover for said well, a carrier movable vertically in said well for delivering articles to said table, said carrier being arranged to lift said cover as it rises to a level with the table, and means at the level of said table for withdrawing articles from said carrier.

21. In a construction of the character described, the combination of a table having an open well, a cover for said well, a carrier movable vertically in said well for delivering articles to said table, said carrier having a plurality of article holding shelves thereon, and means for causing said carrier as it rises to the table top to lift said cover to ahigher level and arranged when said cover reaches said level to hold the same stationary and allow the table to move upwardly to a second position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LEON D. PLATT.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

